Castle in the Stars: The Space Race of 1869
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
In search of the mysterious element known as aether, Claire Dulac flew her hot air balloon toward the edge of our stratosphere—and never returned. Her husband, genius engineer Archibald Dulac, is certain that she is forever lost. Her son, Seraphin, still holds out hope.
One year after her disappearance, Seraphin and his father are delivered a tantalizing clue: a letter from an unknown sender who claims to have Claire’s lost logbook. The letter summons them to a Bavarian castle, where an ambitious young king dreams of flying the skies in a ship powered by aether. But within the castle walls, danger lurks—there are those who would stop at nothing to conquer the stars.
In Castle in the Stars, this lavishly illustrated graphic novel, Alex Alice delivers a historical fantasy adventure set in a world where man journeyed into space in 1869, not 1969.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Aether the theoretical fifth element conceived of by Greek philosophers is pursued by scientists and heads of state alike in this alternate historical adventure from this French graphic novelist. One year after Seraphin Dulac's mother dies in a ballooning accident as she attempted to confirm the existence of aether, the boy and his father receive a mysterious note, summoning them to Bavaria from their home in northern France. Soon they are working for none other than the Bavarian king to create an aethership, but spies, sabotage, and threats of Prussian aggression threaten the project, as well as their lives. Despite unfolding over just three chapters, Alice's story is dense with dialogue, information, and visual detail, playing fast and loose with science and history as Seraphin joins forces with a brave maid and a know-it-all adventurer to safeguard the project. Lushly painted scenes, an abundance of banter among the young heroes, and plenty of action and gadgetry make for an engrossing tale of discovery and betrayal, which builds to a cliffhanger ending to set up the second and final volume. Ages 10 14.
